In a rainy, high-scoring game on the road, neither Longwood nor Liberty managed to pull ahead by the end of the extra periods leaving the game to end in a 3-3 tie on Tuesday, Oct. 27.
Both teams had their chances to maintain a lead over the other as Longwood (7-7-1, 2-3-1) ended the first half with a 2-1 lead that Liberty (5-9-0 , 1-5-1) overcame with back-to-back goals bringing the score to 3-2 ten minutes into the second.
Ultimately, a goal in the 63rd minute off the foot of Longwood senior forward Zach Crandall, assisted by junior midfielder Daniel Campos, retied the match and held through to the final whistle for the first time in the Lancers’ season. This marked Crandall’s fifth goal of the season, surpassing his performance last year with three regular season games to go.
Longwood senior defender Michael Durr initiated the scoring with the first goal of the game, his first of the season, with 15 minutes left in the first half off of a corner by Campos. Campos’ career-high two assists bring him to four total this fall, trailing last season’s total by one.
Within six minutes, Liberty senior forward Tyler Bullock scored his first of the season to tie the game only to have Longwood redshirt freshman forward Willy Miezan hit his tenth goal home 30 seconds later. The goal ties him for second in the Big South for goals scored and puts him within four goals of Longwood’s single-season scoring record.
Miezan’s goal was assisted by senior midfielder Christian Keilty, giving him his third assist of the season and making his final season for Longwood his best offensively.
Ten minutes after play resumed in the second half, Liberty struck back with two goals by two different players inside of a minute of each other.
Liberty senior forward and leading scorer Sachem Wilson scored the first and assisted, this season’s first, the second which was struck by freshman midfielder Kevin Mendoza, quickly giving Liberty the lead with a complete comeback until Crandall’s goal.
By the end of 110 minutes of play, Longwood had outshot Liberty 21-16, with nine on goal to their six.
Longwood’s three saves were split between starting senior goalkeeper Carl Carpenter and junior goalkeeper Carlos Canas. Canas was forced to make two saves in his 37 minutes as the game wound down and during overtime.
Longwood will remain at No. 5 with the result for now until the rest of the Big South plays tomorrow evening. Only a single point separates Longwood, who’s also a game ahead, from No. 6 Campbell. The two teams had tied conference records of 3-2-0 prior to Tuesday night.
The Lancers face No. 7 UNC Asheville (5-8-1, 2-4-0) on Saturday, Oct. 31 at home in Farmville, Virginia at 2 p.m.
